M
monorailfan
Guest
So I stand corrected. A few hours ago, Amtrak called me again about the above service disruption. It was regarding my RETURN trip, and this time the customer service was fantastic. I'm good to go on my next trip when the weather is nicer.I'll miss it this weekend, or better yet, the Mule will miss me. Amtrak has had to cancel the train from Jeff City to KCY due to the UP re-routing trains around the Iowa floods.I took the Missouri Mule (316) from Jeff City to St. Louis on Thursday evening. It was 50 minutes late into Jeff City and arrived 40 minutes late into St. Louis. The consist was an Amfleet snack bar car and three Horizon coaches. The return trip on the Ann Rutledge had the same consist and was on time. Both trains were 75-80% full and many passengers commented on taking the train because of gas prices.This past winter I took the Kanas City mules - and both times, the consist was a Genesis and two Superliners. The opposing Ann Rutledge service trains were single level Amfleets I think.
Anyway, I find the Supers to be much better cars, but I took the Mules last week and now they are using Amfleets....
So, does anyone know if the Mules normally run Amfleets, and for some reason this past winter they were using Superliners? Or do they switch them back and forth between the Mules and Rutledge trains, etc?
Thanks!
I had non-refundable tickets, but in a situation like this it appears that Amtrak would offer travel on another date. But in this case they are running motorcoaches in place of the train. Since I want to take the train and not the bus, I guess I just threw my money away for this weekend.
In a way, I guess I am upset at the UP. The Mules have terrible service due to this route being so congested. I wonder what the breaking-point is for UP to spend some capital $ and lengthen the sidings or double-track. But no worries, the MO taxpayer will pay instead for siding improvements.
Sorry - I'm just venting. It's not Amtrak's fault, and I am not losing too much money. But if anyone wonders why it always seems that the '3' trains are a weekly special, this is why. Without it, they'd have no passengers. Not me, anyway.
I guess Amtrak customer service is like anywhere else - it's all who you talk to. If at first you don't succeed, call them back and try again.